


Crumble

by Falmine



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Angst, Autistic Michael J. Caboose, Character Death, Other, i think?? yeah, rvb 12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7765798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falmine/pseuds/Falmine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember that scene in season 12, where Caboose almost died?</p><p>Yeah. Me too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crumble

_ “Church! Church! Church, I have an idea!” It’s only a matter of seconds before Caboose is bounding into the base, and Church can practically hear the grin on his face. He was like a puppy. A big, stupid, loveable puppy. _

 

_ “What is it, Caboose?” Church tries his hardest to put a heavy tone to drop a line to the other blue that he doesn’t want to hear whatever he came up with, but Caboose ignores the not-so-subtle hint and instead stands in the middle of the base, his hands on his hips and a triumphant tone when he speaks. _

 

_ “I’m going to make everyone become friends!” The words echo through the near-empty base, followed by a snicker from Tucker, who’d been sitting not too far away. Church shushes him, because he’s genuinely interested in what he asks next. _

 

_ “And how, Caboose, are you going to do that.” He can feel the sarcasm dripping off his words, but again Caboose either doesn’t hear, or just ignores it. It takes Caboose a few seconds to process the question, and another few seconds to come up with a less than satisfying response. _

 

_ “I do not know yet. But I will try!” The determination in his voice is clear, and Church just shakes his head and goes back to what he was doing. There was no hope for friendship in this god-forsaken canyon. _

 

That had been nearly four years ago. So much had changed- so many people had come and gone, they’d all changed. Mostly for the better, but with every up there had to be a down. Like the fact that Church was amazingly intelligent now- but that was because he wasn’t exactly Church anymore. He was an AI program, named Epsilon, that just had Church’s memories.

 

Caboose had changed very little over those long years, however. He’d learned to be a little more- and then a little less- loyal, learned how to be patient- but he was still just Caboose. And he still had that goal. It seemed like with every new day that began, Caboose just became more enthusiastic about the idea. All of them, friends. Caring and looking out for each other, being more than just mutuals.

 

But now wasn’t a good time for that. After crashing on this new planet, Chorus, being split up for so long, and then finally finding each other again, learning their role models were really their enemies- and  _ then _ going on a mission to another crash site? Caboose was tired. Everyone was yelling at each other at this point, mostly yelling at Tucker about something he did. Caboose wasn’t really paying attention. In fact, it wasn’t until Washington said something and the whole group got quiet did Caboose even snap back into reality.

 

“What?” He looked back at the rest of the group, cocking his head to the side. “Is there something-” That’s when he heard a noise behind him, and a grip on his neck. He immediately began to kick, desperately struggling to be freed from what was holding him.

 

The rest of the group didn’t hesitate to attack the person holding Caboose. One of Felix and Locus’s men, no doubt, must have hitched a ride back when they teleported- and because it was seven- eight, if you counted Epsilon- it was a very short time before he was knocked out and forgotten. It wasn’t until they heard a quiet gasp for breath that wasn’t there did they even remember Caboose.

 

The blue had collapsed onto the ground- the knife the soldier had been holding was lodged in his chest. There was no way he would survive- but that didn’t stop every single person from running to him and trying their hardest. Washington was yelling to Emily to do something, while Carolina took his head in her hands and whispered soft words of comfort. Grif and Simmons watched on in terrified silence as Caboose struggled to stay alive, and Tucker kneeled down next to him, unable to speak. At some point, Caboose moved to grip Carolina’s hand tightly as he drew shallow breaths.

 

“I couldn’t do it, Church...You were right…” The words were gurgled as blood flooded his airways, and Carolina let out a sound that was between a yell and a sob, squeezing his hand a little tighter. Simmons lurched back, murmuring that he was going to puke and running off. Grif followed him into the jungle, trying not to look at Caboose. Tucker reached out and grabbed Caboose’s other hand, and everyone heard the crack in Church’s voice as he spoke.

 

“No, no, buddy, you can’t die now. You still have so much to do- Don’t you fucking die on me!” Even as an AI, Church still felt the terrible pang of sadness when he realized Caboose wasn’t going to respond to him. Caboose wasn’t going to respond to any of them ever again. The wailing that filled the air- not just from Carolina now, from everyone- shook the trees around them.

 

The next few days were hell. There was nowhere to bury Caboose, nowhere for them to put his body where they wouldn’t see it. They bickered and argued twice as much now, everyone blaming someone else for the death of their friend. 

  
And with Caboose gone? Everything that he’d worked so hard for crumbled to dust.

**Author's Note:**

> Boy howdy, I sure do like to suffer. Not gonna lie, I cried writing this.


End file.
